Favorites of 2010-2019: Bollywood and beyond
Leela Naidu in Anuradha.
The 2010s were the decade we began to more fully explore Golden and Silver Age Bollywood movies, and also the films of Satyajit Ray. The only Indian film from the past two decades that made my favorites-of-favorites list is a ringer: I first saw Kandukondain Kandukondain 15-odd years ago, but rewatched it with great pleasure for my Six Months with Jane Austen project.
Parineeta (The Married Woman, 1953): Bimal Roy's depiction of two lovers (Ashok Kumar and Meena Kumari) divided by the conflict between their families is humane and deeply sympathetic, and richly deserves its classic status. In "Chali Radhe Rani" (sung by Manna Dey) a street singer's lament seems to express the sadness of couple as they separate, perhaps forever.
Sadhna (1958): A blistering indictment of the exploitation of women and of social hypocrisy, B. R. Chopra's film features Vyjayanthimala's powerful performance as the courtesan Champabai. "Aurat Ne Janam" (sung by Lata Mangeshkar) portrays Champabai's sorrow at men's oppression and injustice.
Anuradha (1960): In Hrishikesh Mukherjee's wistful film the radiant Leela Naidu portrays a woman who sacrifices her art for love—and then discovers that perhaps she has made too great a sacrifice. "Haye Re Woh Din" (sung by Lata Mangeshkar) shows the dawning awareness of her husband (Balraj Sahni) of his blindness to his wife's needs.
Professor (1962): Watching Shammi Kapoor is just a joyful experience, and it was hard to pick just one of his movies as a favorite. In this comedy of disguise, romantic complications multiply when Shammi pretends to be an aged tutor to two young women chafing under the strict rules of their aunt. Out of disguise Shammi begins to court one of the nieces, while in disguise he is the object of the nieces' scorn—and of the aunt's rekindled romantic feelings. In "Yeh Umar Hai" (sung by Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar, and Manna Dey) the nieces (played by Kalpana in white and Parveen Choudhary in blue), living images of youth and possibility, mock the old man: "It is our era." The "professor" responds, "I too was young once. . .There was someone who used to love me; we thought it was our era too."
Mahanagar (The Big City, 1963). Satyajit Ray made three great films with Madhabi Mukherjee (the other two, Charulata and Kapurush (The Coward), could also have made this list). In Mahanagar a housewife (Mukherjee) discovers that Calcutta is a place of both danger and possibility when, in the face of her husband's and father-in-law's disapproval, she takes a job as a door-to-door saleswoman. Watch a trailer for Mahanagar from the British Film Institute.
Mamta (A Mother's Love, 1966): Bollywood films often employ time-honored tropes such as tragic courtesans, forbidden love, maternal self-sacrifice, endangered children, and unexpected reunions. Mamta combines every single one of these devices, and more, and adds great music as a bonus. In "Rehte The Kabhi Jinke Dil Mein" (sung by Lata Mangeshkar; song ends at 2:58) the courtesan Pannabai (Suchitra Sen) is unknowingly hired by her former fiancé (Ashok Kumar) who, when he realizes what she has become, rejects her in hurt and anger.
Teesri Kasam (The Third Vow, 1966): A minor-key masterpiece about the relationship between the nautanki dancer Hirabai (Waheeda Rehman) and the cart driver Hiraman (Raj Kapoor) hired to take her to her next performance. Teesri Kasam shows that sometimes, no matter how much we might wish otherwise, love can't conquer all. In "Sajanwa Bairi Ho Gaye Hamaar" (sung by Mukesh) Hiraman sings about estranged lovers, bringing up long-buried memories for his passenger.
Tere Mere Sapne (Our Dreams, 1971): A great cast (Dev Anand, Mumtaz, and a young Hema Malini) offers riveting performances in this story of an idealistic doctor who, crushed by the rich and powerful, loses his moral compass. "Jaise Radha ne mala japi" (sung by Lata Mangeshkar) depicts the early days of wedded bliss between Dr. Anand (Dev Anand) and Nisha (Mumtaz), and exemplifies how what is suggested can be so much sexier than what is shown.
Amar Prem (Immortal Love, 1972): Anand (Rajesh Khanna), trapped in an unhappy marriage, seeks solace in the arms of the courtesan Pushpa (Sharmila Tagore). The film remains radical 50 years later for suggesting that true families are those formed by love. "Chingari koi bhadke" (sung by Kishore Kumar) is a beautifully melancholy song of unfulfillable desire.
Kandukondain Kandukondain (I Have Found It, 2000): A delightful retelling of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility set in a contemporary India of tech start-ups, movie studios and militarized anti-terror campaigns, Rajiv Menon's film tells of the romantic travails of two sisters with very different personalities: the shy, wise Sowmya (Tabu) and the headstrong, impulsive Meenakshi (Aishwarya Rai). In "Kannamoochi Yenada" (sung by K. S. Chithra; song ends at 33:16) Meenakshi teases her sister about her budding feelings for her suitor Manohar (Ajith Kumar).
Other Favorites of 2010-2019:
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